SEW MUCH MORE

I met Valerie Haberer, owner of SEW MUCH MORE, what used to be only a Baby Lock dealership in my hometown a couple of years ago when I went in looking to purchase a Baby Lock Imagine. She took excellent care of me and we've remained friends ever since. She has seen me develop into the fabric & sewing pattern designer that I am today and has always been extremely supportive and excited about my endeavors.

She recently embarked on an adventure of her own and has turned her Baby Lock store into a hip & cool fabric shop, offering the latest & greatest in designer fabrics and indie sewing patterns in the industry.

This past Thursday, September 10, Valerie hosted an OPEN HOUSE to celebrate her new endeavor and it was such a fun event. Below is a picture of some of the attendees (a couple had to leave early due to prior engagements so I did not capture the full group)



Valerie and her assistant, Karen, looked so adorable in their matching Mezzanine skirts...



I just had to get in on the fun and give these sweet ladies a big hug...



After a short talk, we revealed the winners of the sewing contest. The decision was so tough because there were so many wonderful entries. I was truly blown away by the local talent... not that I didn't think there was any (haha), but just that they all came forward to showcase their skills and make beautiful creations with my fabric *sniff, sniff*

Janet Walker won in the Women's Wear category for her beautiful Clover Dot Cami

Pam Pittman won in the Bags, Purses & Totes category with her gorgeous Flora purse

Cathie Haab won in the Children's Wear category with her adorable 2-piece Mezzanine baby outfit

Carolyn Bryant won in the Home Decor category with this amazingly fussy-cut Andalucia Table Runner you see up at the top.

Congratulations again to all the winners and thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who entered the contest... everything was breathtakingly beautiful!

A million thanks to Valerie for her support and friendship. And thank you all for attending. I had a truly wonderful night! I even walked away with one of the contest entries... a great scarf made with my Mod Blooms cord. Thanks, Kathy! I love it!!

Get Your Own!

haha... I didn't mean that title to sound mean. ;) I just get so many compliments every time I go out with one of my mom's purses that I thought I'd share my source with you so you can get one too. See? Isn't that nice?!

My mom has been at it again and this time she has loaded up her Etsy store with all kinds of new goodies... all made with Michael Miller fabrics.

(click on each photo to be taken to the Etsy listing)

First up is her most popular purse design, this time made with my ModBlooms baby wale corduroy...



She also played around with Laura Gunn's Lantern Bloom fabrics and made a couple of gorgeous purses...





Another version of her most popular design, this time with Michael Miller's Dandy Damask...



A large tote made with corduroy and my Andalucia Mod Dots ribbon...



And finally this sweet little tote, made with lots of Mezzanine, that would be great to take along as a craft purse for those who love to knit or embroider. I also thought this would be perfect as a sleepover bag for a little girl... with plenty of pockets to store her toiletries, toys and treasures!



OH, and she even re-listed her most popular design yet... HERE!

All of the purses shown above are READY MADE and ready to ship. So, go ahead... get your own! :)

Oh, and if you've been wondering what's going on with The Name Game, we're still working on it. This week we've been a little busy but I promise to choose the winners soon. Contest isn't closed yet, so if you still have suggestions... go ahead and leave them under the Name Game post.

I sewed a little...

...this weekend and it felt great! These gorgeous Lantern Bloom fabrics by Laura Gunn had been burning a hole in my new fabric shelves and I'm so glad I finally figured out what to make with them. It needed to be something that showcased the gorgeous painterly designs like a canvas. First I made myself the skirt on the far left Friday morning and took it for a test drive when I met some friends for a late lunch. It was super comfy and fun to wear!



Then Saturday morning I decided to make some for the girls. They picked their own fabric combos. How fun is that?! I hemmed mine with some coordinating bias tape I had sitting around the studio but for theirs, I decided on a contrasting rolled hem and I *LOVE* how they turned out.



The extra wide shirred waistband makes for a super comfy fit... never too tight, never too loose! These will be great for our Florida vacation in a couple of weeks! YAY! :)



Also, earlier in the week I made myself some patchwork curtains for my new studio. In case these fabrics look somewhat familiar to you, yes, these were made using the rejected strike-offs from Mezzanine. We always pitch lots of colors and even subtle variations within the colors. Some may have a cream ground versus a white ground. Some may just have a darker green tone than others. There's even full colorways that may be experimented with that never make it to the final round. This is pretty much the only way we can see how the finished product will look. And then the toughest part comes... the guillotine!

I always have a soft spot in my heart for the so-called 'rejects'. I truly love all of them, so here goes my tribute to the almost-Mezzanines...



I'm not sure if this curtain will stay in the studio or if it will make its way into another naked window in our house. I'll make my final decision next week before the full studio reveal. :)

Eye Candy

I am always filled with a mixture of excitement and trepidation when I send sewing pattern files to print. Part of me is relieved that the weeks and weeks of hard work and sleepless nights has finally come to fruition and looking forward to seeing the printed pieces, and part of me can't help but worry that something could go terribly wrong. Luckily my print vendor understands my fear and has agreed to a rigorous proofing procedure. This might add extra days to the process but in my book it is something I cannot do without. I am extremely happy to report that my first 4 patterns are so far error-free and I intend to keep this streak going! :)

OK, so, since my next 2 patterns, the Sophie 3-Way Pants and the Sydney Euro Hoodie, finally went off to the printer this morning, how about some eye candy for you guys? These are the gorgeous photos I received from my pattern testers this week. I just couldn't keep them to myself!

First off, Meli of Jam Clothing Co. tested the Sydney Euro Hoodie, View B with short sleeves and pointed hood. Isn't her daughter Ava absolutely adorable? I am a sucker for great photography so these pictures just grabbed me!





Meli also sewed up a tunic version of Sydney (with long sleeves and pointed hood) using my ModBlooms corduroy and paired it up with the Sophie 3-Way Pants (View B). AHHHH... love these!





Next, Anna Garner, of Sweet Dreams Designs, tested both the Sydney and Sophie patterns. She used a professional modeling/photography service for her pictures, and it shows! Check out this adorable little girl, Tamar, in her Sydney Hoodie Dress (View B with a rounded hood).





Her little twin sister, Yael, looks like she's having a blast in her hoodie! Photos of Tamar and Yael appear courtesy of Teresa Maureen Photography in Austin, TX.



The Sweetest Thing Photography supplied these amazing photos of the Sophie 3-Way Pants, also sewn up by Anna of Sweet Dreams Designs. I just love these!!





And last, but certainly NOT least, are these super fun photos from Mandy Graham of AbbyChase Designs. You may recognize these sweet little girls from the inside pages of my Kyoko pattern. Yep, I asked Mandy if she'd want to do this again and was so glad she said yes because I just adore these girls' funky poses... so much attitude!



Mandy tested all 3 views of the Sophie 3-Way Pants in 3 different sizes!!!





Hope you all enjoyed the fashion show and a million thanks again to all my pattern testers for all your hard work and amazing photos!!! For those of you waiting on these patterns, they are scheduled to be delivered on July 15th, so we will box & ship the following week. Retailers can place their pre-orders on our website right now (log in to the WHOLESALE page with your password to see the new patterns).

Here's a sneak peek of the pattern covers:

More show & tell... and a great GIVEAWAY!

Thank you all for your wonderful comments about my new corduroy. I am giddy beyond words! It's been a great few days... certainly can't complain! I finished and sent off artwork for my next line of fabrics last week. I completed both of my new patterns, the Sophie 3-way Pants and the Sydney Euro Hoodie, and sent them off to my testers. I managed a great photoshoot on Saturday morning and then spent the remainder of the weekend lounging on the couch. I must've needed the rest because I think I slept like 20 hours this weekend! (that's unheard of around here, by the way)

I spent the first part of my week visiting local quilt shops to show Mezzanine and the new corduroy, then received the great news that Mezzanine is SOLD OUT and going into the 2nd printing! WOOHOO! Thanks to all who pre-ordered! I'm floored by the support. :)

So, since I'm feeling great right about now I think it is time for a fun giveaway! But first I'm gonna make you sit through a sampling of this weekend's photoshoot... mwahahaha!

First is Sydney modeling a new ensemble that showcases ModBlooms Earth in 21-wale corduroy paired up with Tiny Dots in quilting-weight cotton. This ensemble is made up of the Sydney Hoodie (View B with short solid skirt) and the Sophie 3-Way Pants (View B).





Then here she is in the Sydney Hoodie Dress (View B with full stripwork skirt) done up in Mezzanine fabrics. I truly adore these photos of her! I MUST get these blown up & framed for my studio:





OK, thanks for being so patient through my little show & tell. Now on to the GIVEAWAY! I will pick 2 winners from the comments left on this post.

1. Winner #1 will receive a 6-piece fat quarter set of my new Mezzanine line for Michael Miller Fabrics.
2. Winner #2 will receive a 6-piece fat quarter set of my Andalucia line for Michael Miller Fabrics, and to sweeten the deal I will throw in some ModBlooms Corduroy! :)

Disclaimer: these photos are for illustration purposes only. Prize packages will be assembled after winners are chosen!

So, I thought long and hard about what kind of contest I could have for this giveaway. Something sewing-related? Been there, done that! A fun rhyme? Jona already stole that idea! A joke? A recipe? Definitely been done! ;) So, since I couldn't come up with anything clever and I was just DYING to get this up today, I thought I'd just make it super easy on you and let you just leave any ol' comment. Say anything! Feel free to say something funny or clever just for the heck of it. I could use the laugh! Oh, and if you feel so inclined you can tell me how much you love my fabric or patterns... haha... it won't get you any extra points since I'll be choosing a winner with the help of the trusty ol' randomizer, but it'll sure make me smile! ;)

So go on... comment away! I'll choose the winners one week from today (Tuesday, June 30th, 2009).

P.S. Don't forget to leave some sort of contact info in case you win... or just make your name a clickable link so I can find ya!

**THE CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED at 448 comments!
Thank you all for your wonderful comments.
I will announce the winners tomorrow.**

A World Of Thanks...

I've been meaning to write this post for days now but between last days of school, work, work and more work, time just seems to be running away from me constantly. But rest assured I've been thinking about all you amazing women who went above and beyond to help me with my Mezzanine and MODKID debut at Quilt Market.

First and foremost, I'd like to a send HUGE virtual hug & kiss to my mom, who not only came all the way from Florida to take care of the kids, house and everything in between for 13 days, but also came loaded up with gorgeous goodies made with Mezzanine. All of the items below can be found on her Esty store, by the way, in case you wanted one for yourself.

This first one happens to be the purse I carry as my everyday purse. It holds EVERYTHING and I'm not kidding! If you know me well, you know how much junk I like to carry all the time with me and this purse does the trick (by the way, this is the 3rd purse I've owned in this style... I just love it!)

How 'bout this gorgeous and petite cocktail purse?


And on the other end of the spectrum, an extra-large tote, perfect for going to the beach, day camps, shopping, you name it!


Another special person I'd like to send a virtual hug & kiss to is Amy Priddy of priddycreations. Amy made this amazing camera bag for me in record time. And when I say record time I mean: she got the fabric on the Saturday before I left for Market, made the bag on Sunday (which just happened to be Mother's Day... yah!) and had it in the mail Monday morning... on the way to Pittsburgh, because it wouldn't have gotten here on time. My dear friend, Ronda Opipery, was nice enough to receive the package for me and deliver it to my hotel in Pittsburgh. The gorgeous camera bag was there waiting for me at the front desk when I checked in on Wednesday. How sweet is that! Thanks a million Amy & Ronda!

If you desire a bag just like this one, check this out, Amy is offering it in her Etsy store!

Next, I'd like to thank my dear friend Heather Kaeb, of thepolkadottotspot, for making me a whole new slew of adorable fabric jingle balls. These were a huge hit at Market again, and she is offering them in her Etsy store along with a few other sweet goodies made with Mezzanine.


And last, but certainly not least, a HUGE HUGE thank you hug to my dear friends Kristen Hallagan (gocksfrocks) and Myrinda Dixon (fabrichound) for staying late after the show ended and practically dismantling my entire booth by themselves. What was I doing? Taking pictures, of course! ;) And Jon? Stuck in traffic with the trailer! Seriously, these ladies didn't waste a second and as soon as the show was over they grabbed screwdriver & hammer and got to work...


Thank you all SO MUCH for going above & beyond in so many ways! LOVE YA!!!

Market Report (Spring 2009)

PHEW! What a whirlwind these past few days have been. In the past 7 days, we've driven all the way to Pittsburgh & back (approx. 10 hrs. each way), assembled & disassembled a trade show booth and attended a 3-day show! I am wiped out, so this posting will be short on words but BIG on visuals. ;)

Pre-Show fun!

Before the show even began, we kicked off the festivities by gathering together at the Omni hotel for what we called the Fabric 2.faux (or Fabric 1.8, as Caroline so affectionately called it when we prank-called her in the midst of the party). At my table, left to right: Susan Day (Michael Miller sales rep), BariJ., Sandi Henderson, me, Paula Prass & Jennifer Storey:



Across from us sat Mary Beth (from True Up), Scott Hansen (Blue Nickel Studios), Jona & Joey (Fabritopia), Myrinda (Fabric Hound), Jessica Levitt (Juicy Bits) and Mary (Flourishes)



And a fave picture of two of my fave ladies:



The show started at 9:30 am on Friday, May 15th (my birthday!!!)

A few shots of our booth. I'm so friggin' proud of this thing it's not even funny!









I didn't get to walk around much this time (since I was selling my MODKID sewing patterns in addition to showcasing my new fabric collection, Mezzanine), so the pictures I captured were from whoever was nice enough to come by and say hi! ;)

Kathy Miller of Michael Miller Fabrics:



Ronda Opipery (of SundaRose) and her friend, Robin:



Sandi Henderson:



Melanie Thornton (Above All Fabrics) & friend:



The dynamic duo behind Lanie Jane Fabrics:



Fabric superstars Laura Gunn, BariJ & Genevieve Gail:



The sweet faces behind Fat Quarter Shop:



Another supermodel-tall fabric designer and sweet, sweet girl, Erin McMorris:



The talented and super sweet Jenean Morrison:



Ruth Jakiela (of Sew Love Fabrics) and her adorable 13-year old daughter, Chloe, who happens to be an aspiring fabric designer and asked me to autograph her amazing sketchbook... gasp! Watch for her... this girl is going places!!!



Chelsea Andersen, of Pink Fig fame, and probably the only picture available of me wearing my Mezzanine tunic (yes, I did wear it!!!)



And of course, it wouldn't be Quilt Market for me without my amazing hubby, Jon, who built (and rebuilt) the gorgeous booth you see behind us:



A Few Special Moments:

Soaking my feet with Paula and Sandi after a long day on the Quilt Market floor:





Michael Miller Fabrics dinner party at Sonoma Grill... fun, fun fun!!



Michael Miller Fabrics won 2nd place in the Multiple Booths category at Quilt Market ... again!



And last, but certainly NOT least, I had a mini surprise birthday party on Friday (the day I turned 21... again) at the show, masterminded by Jona and Myrinda. They surprised me with a balloon bouquet and a truly star-studded birthday card (even signed by some designers who I am completely sure couldn't possible know who I am! LOL!)



The crowd gathered by my booth and sang Happy Birthday and then hung around for pictures. It was SO FUN, made me feel so special and I was totally surprised! Thank you all!!!